Unlikely Lover
by Auralee
Summary: My take on a Canderous/Bastila in-game relationship. Possible OOC. COMPLETE!
1. Unlikely Lover

I've been dying to write this pairing for awhile, and finally finished it! Might be a little OOC, and I'm sorry for that. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own KOTOR.

Unlikely Lover

"That…. that…_Mandalorian_!" Bastila fumed as she stormed to the dormitory. _How dare that sorry excuse of a kath hound insinuate such a thing! I am _not_ spoiled!_

_Canderous got your dander up again?_ Aliana's voice echoed in her head through their bond. There was a faint chuckle from her friend, and Bastila scowled. _Why did you allow him to remain with us for so long, Jedi Calion?_

_Oh please, Bas, why can't you just call me Aliana, or something? We're friends, not Masters, remember?_ The mental link was broken for a moment, but she returned just as quickly. _I'm heading to the dormitory now, you feel like you could use a little girl time—and I daresay venting will be easier in person. I'm no stranger to guy problems…_

"…which it seems you have at the moment," Aliana finished as she strolled through the doorway. How she could shift from mental communication to normal speech so easily surprised Bastila. _How does she do that?_

"It's not as hard as you think, Bas," her friend answered. "You think the responses either way, all it takes is a little more focus to shift back and forth. It's like…well…you're practicing a 'saber form you've been working with for years; you start by consciously thinking about the patterns and so on, then once you figure out how to shift the stances, you don't even realize you're doing it. Does that help?"

"Surprisingly, yes," Bastila agreed. Aliana smiled before tipping her head inquisitively. "So what did Canderous do to you this time?"

"He dared to insinuate that I was a spoiled Jedi child. How ridiculous! I am no more spoiled than any other Jedi Padawan! How dare he insinuate that I could be a—"

"Spoiled, stuck up, Jedi Princess?" Aliana finished, a tiny gleam in her eyes. "Practically everyone on the ship heard you two going at it. Jolee was actually taking bets on how long it would take before one of you killed the other."

"Well, I'm glad I was the object of their amusement," Bastila sniffed; the disapproval coming through Aliana's part of their bond startled her.

"No offense, Bas, but you do make it easy for them. I'm going to be painfully honest here, you need to hear this and I'm going to make sure you do, one way or the other. No," she raised one hand as Bastila started to protest, "you _will_ hear me out on this one. Ever since we found you on Taris you've been acting all high and mighty, preaching the Jedi codes and posturing so that you act like you're better than the rest of us. And I think I know why—you're scared.

"Yes, scared," Aliana went on, ignoring the stunned look on her friend's face. "You grew up in a fairly sheltered environment, being taught that there is only one right way and one wrong way to look at things, getting a set of rules and guidelines crammed in your head and everywhere else until you think they're gospel. Then your Battle Meditation shows up and you're suddenly being thrown out into the world with practically no real experience and no idea what it's really like outside the Enclave walls. And before you know it, you're trying to capture Revan, you get captured by a street gang, Malak's hunting you all over the place, and you're being sent with a group of 'misfits' to find the Star Forge and stop Malak. Anyone would be scared in your position, or at least uneasy—which is a perfectly normal thing for anyone to feel—but the Jedi told you that fear leads to the Dark Side, so you hide it behind a mask and hope it goes away."

_That's not right, _Bastila thought. _Oh no?_ came the mental reply. _Look back, Bas, look back on your life up to this point and think of one instance that disproves my theory._ Stunned at first, she did so and was amazed to find that Aliana had a point.

"You're right…how did you know?" Aliana smiled.

"Former scout, remember? I've seen a lot of things in this world, and masks are nothing new when you spend your free time in dubious spaceports and Pazaak dens." The smile faded for a moment. "But I doubt that's what set you off earlier with Canderous."

"No, it's not," Bastila agreed. "I don't know why he irritates me—does he drive the rest of the crew to insanity as well?"

"Just Carth—and that's mostly because of the Mandalorian Wars," Aliana replied. The former Republic scout thought for a little. "Now that I think about it, I've seen this kind of thing before. Or rather, I've experienced it. With Carth."

The fact that Bastila had noticed the growing closeness between the Jedi and the pilot made her remark all the more disturbing. _Aliana, you know attachments are forbidden. The Jedi Order cannot allow anyone to fall in love for good reason. Attachments lead to the Dark Side._

_And attachments can also keep people on the path of the Light_, Aliana responded through their bond. _Some people need more than a Code to follow, they need a _reason_ to stay on the Light side. Love can be that reason, Bastila, I truly believe that._

"If the Jedi discourage love, then why do we feel compassion? Compassion and love go hand in hand; we love all things, we are compassionate toward all things. In a sense, we are attached to all that we protect. I believe this, and I believe in love. I doubt the Sith share my thoughts—they do not feel love, they feel lust, or a sickly perverted kind of passion."

"You sound more like a Jedi every day," Bastila nodded, and both women shared smiles.

"I guess I have to change eventually," Aliana chuckled. "But really, Bas, if there's one thing I've noticed it's that Canderous is harsh by nature; it's how he was forged. In his own way, teasing is a compliment: how many times have you heard him call me 'tiny' or say that I would make a good Mandalorian 'if you weren't one of those Jedi'? They don't show affection openly, teasing is about as close to a compliment as they get when they're not critiquing your combat techniques." She smiled broadly.

"I really think he likes you, Bas. And as far as the teasing goes, remember it's a compliment. For the moment he's treating you like a younger sibling, if that makes you feel any better."

The two parted ways, and Bastila shook her head in disbelief. _How could that Mandalorian see me as a sibling? And if he and I are anything like…no, this can't be possible!_

_There's a reason for the phrase "Opposites attract", Bas,_ Aliana's voice giggled before the link was broken. Shaking her head again, Bastila began to meditate.

--------

"Mission, got a minute?"

"Sure, Ali, what's up?" Mission turned away from her Pazaak game with Zaalbar and eyed Aliana with interest. Nearby, Carth, Jolee, and even Zaalbar perked up their heads.

"I have a plan, but first off, where's Canderous at?" Aliana winked at Carth as she surveyed the room.

"Sparring with Juhani in the cargo hold—those two are actually becoming friends," the pilot answered.

"Good—I don't want him knowing about this just yet," Aliana lowered her voice conspiratorially. "And I definitely don't want Bastila to know."

"Ooh, I like where this is going!" Mission bounded up. "What're ya gonna do, Ali?"

Aliana smiled at the young Twi'lek. "Well, I think…in fact I'm pretty sure that a certain Jedi has a fascination with our resident Mandalorian."

Mission's jaw dropped. "You're kidding! Candy-man and the Jedi Princess?"

"SHHHHH!!!! Do you _want_ them to hear us?" Aliana hissed. "And yes, I'm pretty sure. You see how she reacts around him—there's only one reason anyone can get under your skin like that."

"Ooooooh, this is just too good!" Mission giggled, rubbing her hands together. "We're gonna try to get them together?"

"_Aliana Calion, you play a dangerous game. Affections cannot be born on a whim_," Zaalbar broke in.

"I'm not creating affections, Zaalbar—those are already in place. I'm just thinking about 'encouraging' them to admit a few things. Bas has already admitted he drives her nuts, just need her to admit the rest of it. And make sure Canderous is in a similar situation."

Carth grinned happily. "I like the way this is going—those two are definitely made for each other. Leave Canderous to me, I'll get him to a cantina and make sure he gets honest with me."

"Except for that implant of his, Carth," Jolee interrupted. "It'll keep him more sober than normal, so unless you plan on getting both of you extremely intoxicated you're in trouble." He frowned for a moment, thinking. "You'd either need something to keep the implants from kicking in, or someone to 'persuade' him to be honest."

"I take it you're in then, Jolee?" Aliana asked him. The old Jedi chuckled.

"What, old men aren't allowed to cause trouble once in a while? This seems like as good a way as any to pass the time—plus it could teach a certain young Padawan a valuable lesson or two. Count me in."

Aliana grinned. _This is gonna be good_, she thought, taking care to keep her thoughts shielded. _Ooooooh, Bas' meditating, let's see if there's anything there._ Careful not to probe too deep, she noticed the feelings her friend kept buried under her unemotional mask: fear, sadness, love, frustration…_ahhhh, there it is!_ Grinning broadly, she severed the connection and eyed her compatriots.

"Bas definitely has a thing for our resident Mandalorian, the hard part will be getting her to admit it."

"How ya gonna do that?" Mission asked; Aliana smiled at the teenage Twi'lek.

"Girl talk, and chocolate. No girl can resist chocolate. Once we get to the next port, you and I are gonna need to do some shopping. Chocolate, make-up, possibly some clothes." Giggling happily, she spontaneously hugged Mission. "We'll make sure Canderous notices her."

"We'll get him to a cantina," Jolee agreed, and Carth grinned. "My revenge for him teasing me, I'm looking forward to this.'

"Teasing you? What about?" Mission eyed Carth eagerly, watching him squirm. "Ummm…I think I'll keep that to myself."

"Don't worry Mish, probably something to do with those holos he has hidden in the cockpit. Now if it'd been Bastila rather than Canderous who caught him watching those…" Aliana couldn't hold her laughter back long enough to finish the sentence; Carth's face had gotten bright red and he dove across the table. She couldn't dodge in time and ended up on the deck underneath him, while the whole room broke out in gales of laughter.

--------

Canderous, Juhani, and Bastila almost collided in the corridors as they rushed to investigate the crash in the common room; judging by the laughter that followed though, it wasn't anything serious. Still, they wanted to know what they missed.

"Here ya go, Princess," Canderous smirked as he offered her a hand up—he and Bastila had in fact bounced off each other, and the Jedi had wound up on the floor. Bastila ignored him and stood on her own.

"Why must you call me that? I am no princess," she sniffed, putting a brave face over her emotions; though she'd never admit it, his presence affected her in ways she never thought he would.

_Because you are one, to me at least_, he thought, but kept his mouth shut; Mandalorians never let their feelings out, it was a sign of weakness. "Because you act like royalty, Princess. All prim and proper, never letting yourself cut loose and party."

Bastila ignored his comment, and they entered the common room to see Mission and Jolee howling with laughter, Zaalbar barking in his own approximation of a chuckle, and a red-faced Carth straddling a still-giggling Aliana Calion. _Jedi Calion, what are you DOING?_

_Oh relax, Bas, I was just teasing Carth and he took it personally. Literally_. Her thoughts were tinged with laughter as she tried shoving the embarrassed pilot off of her.

"Well, well, well, mind telling us what we missed?" Canderous drawled.

--------

They docked on Dantooine to resupply and tie up some loose ends, for the most part. Aliana and Mission shared a wink when they caught Canderous attempting to sneak glances at Bastila, before she and the other Jedi headed toward the Enclave, accompanied by the ever-faithful Zaalbar. Meanwhile Mission, Carth, Canderous, and Jolee headed to the closest town to "unwind": Mission to go shopping, the guys to a cantina. For her part, the young Twi'lek wished them luck, but she honestly believed she had the easier part of the mission. _Haha, no pun intended,_ she thought to herself as she searched for a store. She and Aliana had nabbed one of Bastila's spare outfits in order to find her size, and had spent long late-night hours comparing what shades of makeup the young Jedi would need.

"Aha!" Mission chuckled gleefully when she spotted a store. Apparently this particular shop had been built to cater to spacers and tourists—it looked highly out of place among the farmers of Dantooine.

"Let's see, what would we get for Bastila….what colors would she look best in…" Thankfully Aliana had managed to sneak a holo of Bastila when she wasn't looking, and had entrusted it to Mission before they split off.

"May I help you miss?" A blonde salesclerk had spotted Mission browsing through the clothes.

"Maybe you could. I'm trying to find some things for a friend, and I'm not sure what she'd look good in. It's supposed to be a surprise…" Mission showed the salesclerk the holo of Bastila.

"She's very pretty, your friend is. By her coloring though I'd say she'd need something darker in color. Maybe a gray or dark blue, possibly dark green or even black."

"I don't think she'd wear black," Mission considered. "But the other colors might work on her. She has gray eyes, if that helps."

"Oh, lovely! Then we need to find something in blue for her. Is there anything else she might need?"

"She's trying to impress a guy, so it needs to be just a little bit sexy. She's…a little shy, and used to dressing modestly."

"I think we have just the thing. Of course she'll need jewelry and makeup, and shoes…" the two women moved through the racks of clothes, looking over things that they might buy for Bastila.

Meanwhile, in a cantina, the three men were drinking heavily—well, Carth and Canderous were drinking heavily, but Jolee periodically used the Force to clear up his own drunkenness. He, after all, needed to be sober for what he needed to do.

"We gotsh shome good wimmin on board, right, Canderoush?" Carth slurred; Jolee could tell he was close to passing out, and sent just a little healing his way—not enough to completely sober him up, but just enough to let him keep going with the plan.

"Yeah, we shure gotsh shome fin' onesh," Canderous rumbled; he too was extremely drunk.

"Misshion and Bashtila, and Ali…Ali'sh my favorite," Carth mumbled into his drink.

"Ahh, Ali…she'sh a fine womun, for a Jedi," Canderous mumbled. "Too bad she'sh not my type…she'sh too delicate fer my tastesh…too tiny." Jolee grinned and signaled to a server for a few more drinks. _Now comes the fun part_, he thought as he began to concentrate.

"Shee, now, Ali'sh a fine lassh, but there'sh a better womun on board for me," Canderous stated drunkenly. Jolee focused his mental concentration. _You want to tell the truth, you want to admit your true feelings._

"Oh really? Who'sh better than Ali? Misshion? I didn't think you had a thing for Twi'leksh." Carth was getting awfully close to losing consciousness; Jolee sent a little more healing to the drunken pilot, watching Canderous closely.

"Yesh, better than Ali….ahhh, she'sh a fin' womun, she ish…ahhh, that Bashtila…shuch a beauty…and that body…" The big Mandalorian's voice trailed off and he passed out. Jolee shook his head and blasted Carth with full healing.

"What…whoa…how did you do that?"

"Jedi healing—it's why we Jedi have a hard time getting drunk." He looked around and saw a set of familiar blue lekku near the Pazaak tables. "What's Mission doing here?"

"Probably earning some more credits—I don't see any bags with her though," Carth sighed. "I guess we'd better get him back to the _Hawk_."

As they were trying to get the large Mandalorian off the table, Mission bounded up next to them. "I got everything we needed, and managed to make every credit back. Did you manage to get him to 'fess up?"

"Yeah, he admitted it, _after_ I had to heal Carth twice. Boy can't hold his liquor," Jolee grumbled, but the cranky old Jedi was grinning. "Now let's get this brainless Mandalorian back to the ship." Carth nodded and the three of them scooped Canderous off the table and dragged him out.

--------

That evening proved to be highly entertaining, once the travelers regrouped aboard the _Ebon Hawk_: between Canderous' hangover, Bastila's disapproval, and Aliana egging Carth about being unable to "hold his liquor", the seriousness of their mission had been forgotten **(A/N: Sorry if that's worded weirdly, had some trouble there!)**. The general atmosphere was one of comedy and disaster, and Aliana was about to lose it laughing by the time Bastila decided to "retire".

"Mission, you have the supplies we needed?" she asked. The teen nodded enthusiastically.

"Got everything and then some!" Disappearing for a bit, and followed by a series of hushed words, the young Twi'lek reappeared moments later with several bags, a grim look, and a Mandalorian in tow.

"I'm sorry, Ali, he cornered me in the cargo bay once I got the bags," Mission tried to explain, but Aliana held her hand up.

"Canderous, this is none of your business, now turn around and head elsewhere," she ordered. The Mandalorian merely stood his ground.

"Not this time, Ali. You two've been far too secretive for my tastes lately, and now all of a sudden Mission's trying to hide clothes from me? And they can't be for you two, otherwise you wouldn't be hiding them. Now spill."

Aliana concentrated hard, and when she spoke her voice was heavy with Force Persuasion. "You want to work on the swoop bike right now."

"I want to work on the swoop bike right now," Canderous repeated, his voice blank.

"You don't want to know what we're doing," Jolee threw in.

"I don't want to know what you're doing." With that, Canderous turned around and headed for the cargo hold.

Mission giggled nervously. "Wow, that almost seems kind of cold, Al."

"He'll thank me for it later. Now what've we got to work with?"

Mission gladly displayed her prizes: a modestly-cut dark green dress that would flutter around a girl's knees but was tight around the bodice, a low-cut blue dress with fluttery sleeves, and silvery-gray sandals with clear crystals on the straps. Green and gold jewelry matched well with the green dress, while simple silver and blue jewelry complimented the other dress. There was even a pair of gold sandals to match the green dress. As far as makeup went, there were several shades of dark brown, gray, blue and black eye shadow to bring out Bastila's gray eyes, mascara, blush, and pale pink lipstick.

"Wow, Mission, I never would've thought we could afford all this," Aliana breathed.

"Well…technically, we paid a lot more than you gave us—good thing I always carry extra credits with me. But I made it all back at the pazaak tables, not to worry."

"Well done, kiddo," Aliana patted her on the back. "Now for phase two of Operation: Matchmaker."

"I can't believe it, you actually named this half-cocked scheme?" Carth glanced at her in shock.

"Says Mister 'I-can't-hold-my-liquor-without-Jolee-bailing-me-out-every-ten-minutes'?"she shot back. The group started laughing as their pilot turned beet-red.

--------

They were en route to Tatooine when Aliana, Mission, and Juhani (who they had recruited into their scheme) decided to spring their trap. The women and teenager trooped into the girls' dormitory right before Bastila began to meditate.

"Hey, Bas, you doing okay?" Aliana grinned. "You've been too quiet lately."

"I have been meditating on my problems, Jedi Calion," Bastila replied stiffly. _Oh really? Which problems in particular, Bas?_ Her grin widened when Bastila looked at her in shock.

"C'mon, Bastila, we know what's going on," Mission teased. "You keep sneaking glances at Canderous and expect us to not notice? That ain't happening."

"What…how…how dare you…" Bastila sputtered.

"Yeah, we're daring, Bas," Aliana retorted. "Might as well admit it—you think our resident Mandalorian is worth more than a second look. I don't blame you either: if circumstances were different I'd go after him myself."

"Padawan Juhani, are you simply going to stand there and allow this madness to continue?" Bastila demanded.

"Bastila, we only do this for your own sake. The Jedi may forbid attachments in normal cases, but I think this situation is far from normal. I do not believe there is any harm in this." Juhani's opinion left Bastila confused: she was a Jedi, attachments are forbidden.

_Bas, remember our conversation before?_ Aliana thought to her through their bond. _Attachments can be good or evil, and are as capable of keeping you in the light as they are of sending you to the darkness_.

Aliana watched as Bastila dropped her head in defeat; she sensed confusion and some sadness through their bond. "I doubt he'd even see me as more than a Jedi," she murmured.

"That's where we come in," she replied. "Mission?"

"Got everything we need, Al," Mission confirmed. "Candy-man's gonna notice you by the time we're done!"

"But first," Aliana interrupted with a smile as she pulled a box of chocolate from behind her back, "a little therapy time."

--------

Canderous paced the cargo hold, scowling at the swoop bike every time he passed it. _What is going on with this crew? Why all the secrets?_ Ever since their last stop on Dantooine the entire crew had been acting strangely. With the exception of Bastila, who avoided him whenever possible. _Bastila, little Jedi princess, my fierce little warrior…ah, who am I kidding? She'll only look down her nose at me, that's all I'll ever get._ He continued pacing, grumbling to himself in Mandalorian.

"You know, cursing about your problems and stomping around only irritates everyone around you," Jolee's voice interrupted. The old Jedi strolled in with what looked like a bottle of liquor.

"Old man, if you don't want your nose broken I'd suggest you leave," he growled.

"I'm old, dammit, and you'll show some respect! Now sit down or I'll mind-trick you again!" Canderous scowled, but knew better than to argue.

"Now, we'll sit and have a drink like civilized people, and talk about what's on your mind. Or rather, _who's_ on your mind," he chuckled. Canderous simply stared at him, a glare that would have scared most men but was lost on the old Jedi. Jolee simply sat down and opened the bottle.

"Sit down, boy, or do I have to use a Mind Trick on you?" Jolee barked.

"You did that already, as I recall," Canderous growled, but sat down anyway. Jolee poured a glass of what looked like Corellian brandy and set it in front of him.

"It was for your own good, boy, and you'll be thanking me for it later. Now talk—what's got you so upset that you're pacing the ship like an agitated kath hound?"

"A Mandalorian solves his own problems, old man," Canderous growled, tossing back his drink.

"I doubt that very highly, boy, but I'll ignore that for now. Considering that I already know what your problem is, though, means I can cut to the chase: Bastila."

Canderous choked on the brandy he'd just swallowed. "How could you possibly know that?" he sputtered.

"You get talkative when you're drunk, and it's hard to miss all the glances you've been sneaking. The only oblivious one is Bastila, and that's less to do with arrogance and more to do with all the teachings that have been crammed down her throat." Jolee refilled Canderous' glass, smiling at the stunned Mandalorian's face. "Now spill, boy, I ain't getting any younger."

Canderous stared at the brandy in his glass, mulling over just how much he wanted to admit to. "She wouldn't even notice me if I weren't a member of the crew. And even then, I have to irritate her to even get her to talk to me. She has no idea…" he trailed off, thinking about all the things he wanted to tell her, but wouldn't—a Mandalorian never admitted to romantic feelings, preferring a direct approach rather than an elaborate courtship ritual.

"So you admit an interest in our lovely Jedi Princess?" Jolee smiled.

"Yeah, I admit it, I find her appealing," he growled. "Your point?"

"Who said I have to have a point? I'm old, I'm allowed to be eccentric when I want to be," Jolee pointed out, a smile on his wrinkled face. "However, if you're looking for a point that badly I'd suggest heading to the starboard dormitory right about now. Might be surprised by what you find."

Canderous shot him a funny look. "Did Carth put you up to this?"

"Now why would you think that? Oh, the holos you found in the cockpit." Jolee waved the concerns away with his glass. "No, this has nothing to do with that, and everything to do with you moping around. Now shoo, get going."

Shooting the old Jedi another suspicious glance, Canderous headed for the starboard "men's" dormitory.

--------

Her hair had been arranged into auburn waves that fell down her back, dark shadow accented her eyes, and a blue-and-silver dress swirled around her knees. Bastila waited nervously, seated on what she knew was Canderous' bunk, wondering how in the Force she had let Aliana convince her to do this.

_Don't worry, Bas, you'll be fine_, Aliana thought through the bond. Bastila only hoped it would be true. She fiddled with the hem of the dress, ignoring the silver sandals and the jewelry that winked at her in the light. _I can't believe I'm actually doing this_. She was so caught up in her own worries that she completely missed the door opening behind her.

Canderous stared at the beauty in front of him: someone had transformed the Jedi into a princess. She looked stunning, an ethereal creation in blue and silver. He wanted to say something, to let her know he was watching, but all he could do was stare. Bastila must have sensed him, though: she whirled around and leapt off the bed, the skirt of her dress flaring and fluttering around her knees.

"Canderous! I…how long…were you…why were you watching me?" she sputtered. Canderous could tell that she was nervous.

"Not long," he muttered. Indicating his bed, where she'd been seated only moments ago, he asked, "How long have you been here?"

"A few minutes." Bastila shifted uneasily—this was uncharted territory for her. _Tell him how you feel, she said—how am I supposed to do that_?

"Nice dress," Canderous drawled, interrupting her thoughts. "Did Aliana set you up with it?"

"As a matter of fact she did," Bastila sniffed, falling back into the familiar pattern of insults. "And was it her idea for you to come here?"

"Jolee's, actually." Stepping forward, he smirked as Bastila took a few steps back. "Kinda glad he told me, though—I would've hated to miss this." He continued moving forwards, herding Bastila back against the bunk. "And was it Jolee's idea for you to sit here on my bed, or Aliana's?" He grinned as a flush crept up Bastila's neck to her face.

"And how was I to know which was yours?" she shot back. She continued to back away, flinching as she backed into the bunk. The contact made her lose her balance, and she grabbed the first thing she could to steady herself. Unfortunately, that happened to be Canderous: instinctively, she'd latched on to his vest and pulled herself up so that they were almost pressed together. Once Bastila had regained her balance, she realized who she was latched on to and tried to move away. Canderous had other ideas, and wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her even closer, to the point that the only things separating them were their clothes.

"Canderous, let go of me at once," she hissed, but her heart wasn't in it.

"I don't think so, Princess," he drawled. "Not before you tell me why you're in here." Moving his free hand, since his other arm was currently clamped around Bastila's waist, he tipped her chin up so she had no choice but to look him in the eye.

What he saw took him off guard, and if he hadn't been a Mandalorian he would've let go in surprise. Bastila's flushed face stared back at him, and hidden away in her gray eyes was the flash of lust he'd been hoping for. _Oh really, little princess? That's why you've been avoiding me_.

"I…" Bastila hesitated. _Now or never,_ she thought. "I was…I was looking for you."

"Why?" he growled, waiting to hear the rest of it. _She's going to admit it, I'll make sure of that_. Canderous felt the young Jedi tense, whether from fear or something else he wasn't sure.

"Well…because…oh never mind." Bastila gave up on words, deciding to go for the direct approach; bringing her hands up, she grabbed his face and pulled him down for a kiss. She wasn't sure what she was doing, or even why she was doing it, but it seemed like the right idea.

Canderous was taken off guard, but it didn't take him long to realize what Bastila was attempting to do. _Close enough_, he thought before diving into the kiss. His kiss was hard, almost punishing, and Bastila felt a thrill of excitement. Heat washed over her, and she felt parts of her tingle with excitement and pleasure. Canderous finally broke the kiss, bringing one hand up to cup her face.

"Gods, you have no idea how long I've wanted to do that, Princess," he murmured, brushing her hair back. Bastila shivered, wanting more but afraid to go too far.

"Probably about as long as I have," she pointed out. She leaned against him, enjoying the feel of his hard, muscled frame; right now a primitive part of her cried out for more, but her Jedi training restrained her. _Why do I feel so torn? Remember the Code._

_Screw the Code, Bas,_ Aliana's voice interrupted. _And before you ask, no I haven't been here the entire time. Just go for it—trust in the Force, and it'll work out in the end._

Canderous' voice interrupted. "So why did you come here?"

"I came for you," Bastila smiled, "Aliana dragged the truth out of me, and convinced me to act on it. She convinced me that you were worth the risk."

"Heh, I wonder if she was in on this from the start. Right now, though, I couldn't care less." Canderous slid one hand into the auburn waves and pulled her back for another kiss, a kiss she returned eagerly.

From the _Ebon Hawk_'s cockpit, the rest of the crew watched as Bastila and Canderous kissed again. "You go, girl!" Mission crowed. Aliana simply smiled, and kept one hand close to the power button on the camera monitor. The minute she saw Canderous reach for the fastenings on Bastila's dress, she turned it off. _Well done, my friend_, she thought, wincing at the flow of desire through her friend's part of their bond.

--------

They'd just escaped the Leviathan, and found out how Aliana Calion had once been the Dark Lord Revan…and that Bastila had both encouraged the deception and sacrificed herself to save Aliana…_no, Revan_, Canderous thought. He paced the garage floor, frustrated that they had to wait until they got to Manaan and found the final Star Map. _How could she do this to me? What was she thinking?_

"She did what she felt was necessary," Revan's voice intruded. He looked up to see her standing near the garage, Calo Nord's battle armor stained with Sith blood, a dark bruise adorning one eye.

"You get into a fight or something?" Canderous growled.

"Just cleared out a docking bay full of Sith, and wondered if you were interested in breaking into their Embassy." She stopped for a moment, searching his gaze. "She didn't want to go, but felt it was more important to stop Malak and buy us time. I tried to reason with her, but she wouldn't listen."

"And you just let her go?" he growled. Revan moved closer, placing one hand on his arm, but he grabbed her and pinned her against the wall by the throat. Belatedly he realized that if she wanted she could kill him, but she made no move to fight back.

"You let her go and fight Malak, knowing she would never make it out alive! And you call yourself a leader? You abandoned her to die!"

"She…told me…" Revan gasped; Canderous loosened his grip just a little, but not by much. "She told me to say she was sorry…that she loved you. She made me promise to keep an eye on you for her."

"And how do I know you're not telling me what I want to hear?" he yelled.

"You don't." Revan did her best to look him in the eye, considering he had her pinned to the bulkhead above his head. "I know you hate me for this, Canderous, but I gave my word I'd guard you for her. And regardless of what I may have been, when have I ever broken a promise I've made in the time you've known me? When have I ever given you cause to doubt me?"

Canderous dropped her, and Revan fell to the deck, wincing as she hit the floor. Standing up, she moved to face the Mandalorian. A knife appeared from a hidden sheath in the sleeve of her armor, and she drew it across her palm; the cut was deep, and dark red blood dripped to the floor of the cargo bay.

"We will get her back, Canderous of Ordo," she stated. "You have my word, and my oath in blood." Canderous stared in surprise; a blood-oath was almost unheard of outside the Clans.

"I accept your pledge, Revan," he answered when he could speak again. "We will get her back, together."

Revan nodded before pulling a kolto pack and sealing the wound—a nice-sized scar would result, but that was the least of her worries. "Now to business: the Republic knows something about the Star Maps, but they won't help us until we retrieve a droid from the Sith Base. Interested?"

Canderous grinned, shouldering his blaster cannon. "Let's go."

--------

She'd just finished repairing the hyperdrive when Canderous walked into the engine room.

"So Bastila's betrayed us," he said flatly.

"I won't give up on her yet, Canderous," Revan answered. "No one is beyond redemption, not even Malak. I'll bring her back to the light, or die trying." Her dark eyes bored into his steel ones. "I'll bring her back to you."

"No," he replied. Revan looked at him in shock. "You may not be able to redeem her, and I know what the Dark Side does to people—hell, I _saw_ it on Manaan. If you can't save her…" he swallowed; she knew this was hard for him to admit. "If you can't save her, I need you to do the right thing. She'd want that."

Revan nodded, fighting back tears. "I won't let either of you down," she whispered.

--------

"I'll stay here, use my Battle Meditation to aid the Republic Fleet. May the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with all of us, Bas." Revan ignited her lightsaber, but turned to Bastila for a moment.

"Bas, be careful. Don't wait too long before getting down to the hanger and the _Hawk_."

"The longer I remain here, the better the Republic's chances are. Besides, I doubt the crew wants to see me now, after what I've done."

"You think we came here just to kill Malak?" Revan scoffed. "Nah, we came for you, Bas. We weren't about to let Malak have you so easily." _Plus someone was going spare trying to get you back._

"Very well, Revan, I'll wait until the Star Forge begins to fall apart, and go to the hangar. May the Force be with you." _I hope he can forgive me._

_He will, Bas, he will._

Bastila watched her friend walk through the door, then resumed her Battle Meditation. It didn't take long before the Republic broke through the Sith fleet's lines and began their bombardment: the command deck of the Star Forge began to shudder on impact. Rising from her seated position, she made her way to one of the many lifts and descended to the hanger.

Bastila had barely made it down when Revan, in a bloodstained Jedi robe, limped out. _It's done, Bas_, she heard in her head.

"Malak is dead. It's over, finally."

"Let's get out of here," Carth answered, taking her in his arms and helping her aboard. Bastila followed silently, not sure what her reception would be. A particularly sharp maneuver (no doubt made to avoid a blaster round from one of the ships) sent her tumbling forward, and a pair of strong arms caught her before she hit the deck. She felt herself being turned around, and looked into Canderous' steely eyes.

"You're back." It was all he said, there was nothing in his tone to indicate he was glad to see her.

"Revan helped me find my way," she replied, tears beginning to pool in her eyes. _He wants nothing to do with me_, she thought.

"That's all that matters, you're here and you're safe," he growled before his mouth came crashing down.

--------

The awards ceremony had ended long ago, and they'd found a relatively secluded spot for a "private" celebration of their own. Naked and sprawled on the grass, Bastila turned her head to look at her unlikely lover.

"The Council will never approve," she murmured.

"The Council can stuff it up their asses," Canderous growled. Rolling over, he pulled her against him. "No one tells me who I can and can't see."

"No, but they can send me away."

"And I'll look for you, and find you," he murmured. "But right now I'm planning on finishing what we started." Bastila cocked an eyebrow, but was prevented from saying anything. _Brainless Mandalorian_, she thought.

But she loved him anyway.


	2. Epilogue

I decided to write an epilogue--it touches briefly on KOTOR 2. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own KOTOR.

Epilogue

"Do you really have to go?" she asked him as she watched him don his armor.

"This Jedi claims to be on a mission, and she has the _Ebon Hawk_." Canderous watched as she flinched.

"It's…it's not Revan?"

"You'd know if it was, wouldn't you?" he growled, referring to the bond she shared with Revan.

"She closed her mind to me and severed the bond when she left," Bastila reminded him. "I doubt I would feel her even if she stood in front of me."

"Regardless, the old witch with the Jedi said she knew where Revan might be. And considering the danger that seems to follow the group around, it makes sense that they know something of why all the Jedi are gone."

Bastila frowned, glancing at the tunic and leggings that she'd been forced to wear; she missed the comfort of her Jedi robes. "What do you need me to do, my love?" she asked.

"What I _want_ you to do is stay safe in the camp, but I know you'll never listen," Canderous chuckled, running one hand over her face. "If you feel the need to leave, at least do so discreetly."

"I am far more discreet than a Mandalorian," she sniffed, bringing a laugh from Canderous.

"Ever the Jedi, _cyar'ika_," he smiled.

"And you, Mandalore, are ever the barbarian," she smiled back, wrapping her arms around him briefly—he usually didn't enjoy close contact unless they were in bed. Surprisingly, he tightened his arms around her and kissed her soundly.

"Wait for me, Princess," he rumbled. "and don't do anything stupid."

"The same goes for you, my love," Bastila replied. "Stay safe, and return quickly." Canderous nodded before donning his helm and left the room. _Come back to me alive, my love_.

**FIN**


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